Seonix Bio, a leader in the development of genetic testing for glaucoma, today announced the U.S. launch of SightScore, the first commercially available clinical polygenic risk score testing service for primary open-angle glaucoma. SightScore uses a saliva test to identify individuals at high risk for glaucoma, enabling earlier diagnosis, intervention, and more personalized treatment while also identifying low-risk individuals who may benefit from less frequent monitoring.
Glaucoma is a highly heritable and strongly genetic eye disease that damages the optic nerve and causes irreversible vision loss. It affects some 80 million people worldwide1 and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness.2,3 The disease is difficult to detect in the early stages, when treatment is most effective, and over 50% of glaucoma is undiagnosed in developed nations, leading to unnecessary vision loss.4,5 Glaucoma is manageable if discovered early, and available treatments are largely effective at slowing or halting disease progression, but damage is irreversible once it occurs. Current tools to determine who is at risk of glaucoma are based on family history, age, and eye tests like ocular pressure and imaging, but these tools lack sufficient predictive power to reliably triage patients.
Now available for clinicians in the U.S. in addition to Australia and New Zealand, SightScore is a saliva test that looks at millions of genetic variants in the patient’s genome to create a personalized polygenic risk score for glaucoma. The test estimates the patient’s genetic risk of developing glaucoma in the future or, if they already have glaucoma, it assesses the risk that the patient’s glaucoma might get worse. SightScore assists clinicians in identifying individuals at the highest genetic risk of glaucoma so they can be appropriately prioritized and managed.
“SightScore is a game changer in the way we will assess and manage patients at risk for glaucoma. It is an invaluable tool for identifying individuals who may not show obvious signs of the disease yet and are at higher genetic risk,” said Dr. Inder Paul Singh, president of The Eye Centers of Racine & Kenosha, Ltd., Kenosha, Wisconsin. “By incorporating SightScore into our practice, we can more effectively prioritize patients for early screening, personalize their care, and ensure we’re detecting glaucoma in its earliest, most treatable stages.”
“I am incredibly pleased that we are able to make SightScore clinically available in the U.S., marking a significant advancement in the fight against glaucoma,” said Nick Haan, CEO, Seonix Bio. “In the past, clinical genetic risk assessment for glaucoma has targeted a single gene or tens of genetic variants. As the first truly polygenic clinical genetic risk score for glaucoma on the market, using 7 million genetic variants, SightScore represents a major step forward in how we diagnose and manage this disease. By identifying individuals at high genetic risk through a simple saliva test, we empower clinicians to intervene earlier and ultimately preserve vision.”
SightScore can be referred online by an appropriate health professional and involves a simple saliva collection process, followed by genetic analysis, and receipt of a clinical report. To learn more about SightScore, visit seonixbio.com.
